


stay

by ceedeeandco (Scedasticity)



Category: Firefly
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Gen, less a fix-it than a fix-my-feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-01
Updated: 2013-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:01:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25774792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scedasticity/pseuds/ceedeeandco
Summary: How long will you stay? she asks.As long as I'm needed.You don't mind?  There isn't -- anywhere else you need to be?
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	stay

**Author's Note:**

> Written IMMEDIATELY post Big-Damn-Movie. To make me feel better.

At first, she thinks she is the only one who notices. None of the others mention it, not ever, not a word, not a thought. She fears she is the only one who notices because there is truly nothing there to notice, but she is better now, she is better, and there _is_ something, even if they never say anything. She knows. She decides they must simply be refusing to see it, not accepting what they don't wish to comprehend, as -- she knows from wearying experience -- they do so very well. It is not surprising. They have done it before. And it is not as if it is obvious, not at first. Just whispers below hearing, shadows that aren't there, sense without substance.

She thinks it is strange that they _stay_ silent when things become... less subtle. That Kaylee is not more indignant over her good girl's bizarre behavior. That, despite a mess of shouting during the crisis, afterwards no one demands an explanation for why they were stuck drifting without navigation for five hours, or why it suddenly came back. The lack of questions would make her think they must have realized, except no one _ever mentions it_.

But she sees, in time, that you do not have to mention something, not even to yourself, to know it is there. If they mentioned it, they would have to ask questions, and they don't want to do that. They might not like the answers, or like even less that there are no answers. It is enough to know.

So she respects their wishes, and does not comment on how no one avoids the spot, does not tell Jayne "I told you so" about rearranging the room and its consequences, and pretends not to notice that she is not the only one who sometimes talks to an empty room -- even if only silently. She is just the only one who will admit it.

How long will you stay? she asks.

As long as I'm needed.

You don't mind? There isn't -- anywhere else you need to be?

No. A wry smile. _You_ know better than that. This is where I am. I'm in the ship. I am the ship.

And in the end, it is not so hard to comprehend. They never needed to melt away. They are all part of _Serenity_. And... _Serenity_ is all of them.

Even the ones who aren't there anymore.

And when they need to leave in a bit of a rush, the controls work perfectly and the ship all but flies herself up to orbit.

Even _after_ the dinosaurs are accidentally knocked off the console.


End file.
